Towel-holder.



H. O. McDONALD.

TOWEL HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED APILZQ, 1912.

1,075,047. Patented 001;.7, 1913.

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HOWARD C. MCDONALD, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TOWEL-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

Application filed April 29, 1912. Serial No. 693,825.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HOWARD C. MCDON- ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful. Improvement in Towel-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to towel holders for endless roller towels of the sort which are used in public lavatories and other places where they have to be of length to provide enough fresh portions to accommodate a considerable number of users. It is essential that these towels be kept in a sanitary and aseptic condition in order to prevent the possible infection of the users, and it has been proposed to make a holder having means for disinfecting the towel. So far as I amaware, however, no practical disinfecting towel holder has heretofore been produced that is capable of destroying all infectious bacteria on the towel in the relatively short time during which an infected portion of the towel is subjected to the action of the disinfecting agent in the ordinary use of the towel in public places.

The object of this invention is to produce a thoroughly practical and efficient disinfecting towel holder which will absolutely destroy all infectious bacteria on the towel and keep the towel in a perfectly aseptic and desirable condition in the period of time during which. each used portion of the towel remains under the action of the disinfecting agent in the normal use of the towel. In order to accomplish this result the towel is arranged on rollers in a case so that the used portions of the towel pass first through a practically tight disinfecting chamber in which they are subjected to the action of a disinfecting agent, such as formaldehyde gas or vapor, and then through. a deodorizing or aerating chamber in which the towel is freed from the formaldehyde fumes or other odors and rendered fit for use again. The towel has an exposed loop depending outside of the case which is sufiiciently slack for use. After the exposed portion of the towel has been used it is pulled downwardly, which causes a fresh portion to be drawn out of the aerating or deodorizing chamber and the used portion to be drawn into the disinfecting chamber. The towel passes in a sinuous course around several rollers in the disinfecting chamber, so that in the ordinary use of the towel by successive persons sufficient time is required for any used portion of the towel to pass through the disinfecting chamber to kill any infectious bacteria thereon and perfectly sterilize the towel. When a used portion of the towel is again pulled out for use after having passed through the disinfecting and deodorizing chambers it will be thoroughly disinfected, dried and deodorizcd and in a sanitary and odorless condition fit for use again without danger of infection. The deodorizing chamber could be dispensed with and the towel aerated in the open air if desired, but better results are obtained by providing the deodorizing chamber.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a towel holder embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof showing the same open. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof. 5 is a horizontal section thereof. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the disinfecting device.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents an uprightboX or case in which the towel B is arranged to pass in a sinuous course around upper and lower rollers with a slack loop Z) hanging exposed below the lower rollers where it can be used. The case can be made of metal or other suitable material. and is preferably constructed as shown, with fixed back, side and top walls a a and respectively, and with a hinged front C and bottom D which can be opened for inserting and removing the towel. The front C is hinged by a top flange to the top of the case at a so that it can be opened upwardly as shown in Fi 2, folding braces 0 being shown for holding the front when raised. The bottom D is attached to the lower end of the case by quick acting screw-clamps (Z or other means which. enable it to be tightly closedand to swing downwardly to one side of the case through the depending slack loop of the towel. A slot (Z is left between the bottom and the back (ref the case for the passage of the towel, and the bottom has a flange (Z which extends upwardly in front of the hinged front C of the case for effectually closing the case at this point, as more fully explained hereinafter.

1* represents a cover or hood arranged outside of the hinged front G and having imvardly extending side flanges (1 and a top flange 0 so that it forms with the hinged front C an open bottomed outer or deodorizing chamber 6 through which the towel passes after issuing from the closed inner or disinfecting compartment of the case. The

cover or hood E is hinged at its upper end by suitable hinges e to the hinged front 0 so that it is adapted to swing therewith when the front is opened, and is also adapted to be swung upwardly away from the front C on its hinges e to open the deodorizing chamber. Quick act ing screw-clamps are shown for clamping the cover E tightly against the front 0 and the latter tightly against the sides of the case so as to effectually prevent the escape of fumes from these chambers. The case could be of other suitable construction providing a closed disinfecting chamber and a deodorizing chamber adapted for the passage of the towel and. capable of being opened for inserting and removing the towel in the manner to be explained. 7

The towel passes into the disinfecting chamber through the slot d in its bottom and after passing upwardly and downwardly therein around upper and lower rollers F and F, respectively, issues from this chamber under the foremost lower roller F which is located beneath the lower edge of the hinged front C. The towel passes thence upwardly in the deodorizing chamber around a roller F therein, and then downwardly and out of the open lower end of this chamber. Preferably two sets of hearing seats f are provided at different heights in the holder for the upper rollers F and F so that these rollers can be placed in one or the other set of bearings, as may be necessary to obtain the desired amount of slack to properly adjust towels of different lengths in the holder.

G represents a spring-pressed flap or gate which presses the towel above the entrance slot d, and G indicates a similar flap or gate which presses the towel against the upright flange of the bottom D of the case. These gates prevent the escape of the fumes of the disinfecting agent through the openings by which the towel enters and. leaves the disinfecting chamber, thus insuring a practically tight disinfecting chamber, without unduly obstructing the passage of the towel. Any other suitable means for this purpose could be used.

H represents a disinfecting device or generator by which the gas or vapor for dis infecting the towel. is produced. Preferably this device consists of a box or holder in which are removably supported tubes or receptacles 1- containing paraform, and an electric heater 71" of any ordinary or suitable construction for-heating the paraform to generate formaldehyde gas. 7L2 indicates the conductors for the electric heater which preferably pass through an inclosing conduit 71. at the bottom of the case A. The disinfect-ing device can be differently constructed and any suitable means can be used for heating the material to generate the gas. Forn'ialdehyde solution can also be used with more or less success, but the dry gas produced by heating paraform is preferred, since its action is much quicker and more reliable and it assists in drying the towel instead of adding moisture thereto, which is the tendency of the vapor fromformaldehyde solution. It has been found by ex perimcnts that formaldehyde gas generated by heating paraform will completely kill all infectious bacteria on a towel in an apparatus constructed as above described in much less time than is required for an infected portion of the towel to pass through the disinfecting chamber in the ordinary usage of the apparatus.

A heater I is preferably pro-videdin the deodorizing or aerating chamber for heating the towel after it leaves the disinfecting chamber to drive off the fumes o-f'the formaldehyde or other odors. This heater also assists in drying the towel. The heater can be of any suitable construction, that shown consisting of an electric heating coil inclosed by a shallow upright radiating metal cover plate 2' secured onthe hinged front C of the case. The portion of the towel which moves upwardly in tho decdo-rizing chamber is held in contact with or close to this heater and is heated thereby. Holes z" are shown in the top of the deodorizing chamber so that the heater aroduces an u award draft through the chamber for aerating the towel and carrying off the fumes at the top of the apparatus. The fumes escaping in this way are not objectionable to the users of the towel, s they would be if the towel was eX- posed immediately upon leaving the disinfecting chamber.

The electric conductors 2' for the heater l: preferably enter the deodorizing chamber through a hole in its top, as in this they do not interfere with the opening of the case. i

To remove a towel from the holder the cover E is unfastened and raised and the roller F taken out. The bottom D is then unfastened and swung down sidewise out of the depending loop of the towel, after which the front C can be raised to afford access to the upper rollers F in the disinfecting chamber. These rollers arethen taken out of the loops supported thereby and the loops permitted to drop down between the lower rollers F. The towel is put in place and the holder closed by reversing these operations.

K represents screw-plugs or other closures normally closing vent holes in the upper portions of the sides of the case A. These vent holes are opened before opening the front 0 of the case to allow the formaldehyde gas to escape from the disinfecting chamber so that the attendant will not have to breathe the gas when the front C is opened.

The apparatus described is thoroughly practical and eihcient and has been found by actual test to kill infectious bacteria on towels in a. very few minutes, leaving the towel in an absolutely sanitary and practically odorless condition suitable for use again.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a disinfecting towel holder, the combination of a substantially closed disinfecting chamber having openings through which an endless towel may pass into and out of the chamber, and a generator for supplying a gaseous disinfecting agent in said chamber, substantially as set forth.

2. In a disinfecting towel holder, the combination of a substantially closed disinfecting chamber having openings through which.

a towel may pass into and out of the chamber, rollers adapted to guide the towel in a sinuous course through said chamber, and a device which generates a gaseous disinfecting agent in said chamber, substantially as set forth.

3. In a disinfecting towel. holder, the combination of a substantially closed disinfectin g chamber having openings through which a towel may pass into and out of the chamber, and a disinfecting device adapted to contain a disinfecting agent and having means for heating said disinfecting agent to produce a gas therefrom in said disinfecting chamber, substantially as set forth.

f. In a disinfecting towel holder, the combination of a substantially closed disinfecting chamber having openings through which a towel may pass into and out of the chamber, means for supplying a disinfecting agent in said chamber, a deodorizing chamber, and guide means whereby the towel may be caused to pass through the deodorizing chamber after leaving the disinfecting chamber, substantially as set forth.

In a disinfecting towel holder, the combination of a substantially closed disinfecting chamber having openings through which a towel may pass into and out of the chamber and a deodorizing chamber through which the towel may pass after leaving the disinfecting chamber, a device in said disinfecting chamber adapted to contain a disinfecting agent, and means for heating said disinfecting agent to produce a gas therefrom in said disinfecting chamber, substantially as set forth.

(3. In a disinfecting towel holder, the com bination of a substantially closed disinfecting chamber having openings through which a towel may pass into and out of the chamber and a deodorizing chamber through which the towel may pass after leaving the disinfecting chamber, a device in said disinfecting chamber adapted to contain a disinfecting agent, means for heating said disinfecting agent to produce a gas therefrom in said disinfecting chamber, and heating means in said deodorizing chamber, substantially as set forth.

7. In a disinfecting towel holder, the combination of a substantially closed disinfecting chamber, a deodorizing chamber, means whereby the towel may be caused to pass in succession through said disinfecting and dedorizing chambers, means for subjecting the towel to a disinfect-ing agent in said disinfecting chamber, and means for deodorizing the towel in said deodorizing chamber, substantially set forth.

8. in a disinfecting towel holder, the com bination of a substantially closed disinfect ing chamber having openings through which a towel may pass into and out of the chamber, means for supplying a disinfecting agent in said chamber, and gates which bear yieldingly against said towel adjacent to said openings for preventing the escape of the disinfecting agent through said openings, substantially as set forth.

9. In a towel holder, the combination of an upright case having a front arranged to open upwardly, and a downwardly opening bottom, said case having a slot in its lower rear portion for the entrance of a towel and said bottom having a fiange which extends upwardly outside of the front of the case and is spaced therefrom to provide an exit opening for the towel, and means for supporting a loop of said towel outside of the front of the case, substantially as set forth.

10. In a towel holder, the combination of an upright case having a front arranged to open upwardly, and a downwardly opening bottom, said case having a slot in its lower rear portion for the entrance of a towel and said bottom having a flange which extends upwardly outside of the front of the case and is spaced therefrom to provide an exit opening for the towel, and means forming an outer chamber exterior to said front through which the towel may pass, substantially as set forth.

11. In a towel holder, the combination of an upright case having a front arranged to open upwardly, and a downwardly opening bottom, said case having a slot in its lower supplying a disinfecting agent in said case, rear portion for the entrance of a towel and substantially asset forth. 10 said bottom having a flange Which extends Vitness my hand this 25th day of April, upwardly outside of the frontof the case 1912.

1 and ie spaced therefrom to provide an exit HOWARD C. MCDONALD.

opening for the towel, means forming an Witnesses: enter chamber exterior to said front through C. W. PARKER, Which the towel may pass, and means for A. L. MCGEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

